Lightning ignited a wildfire in Yellowstone National Park on Saturday about 3 miles south of Old Faithful, according to a YNP press release.
Park officials said in the release that as of Saturday evening, the fire was estimated at 300 acres and not burning towards Old Faithful. Staff are putting protection measures in place for the Old Faithful area, should the fire move in that direction.
The Grand Loop Road south of Old Faithful between Kepler Cascades and West Thumb closed temporarily on Saturday at 10:30 p.m. due to smoke and remains closed Sunday.
Other closures include Backcountry campsites OA1, OA2, and OA3, as well as the Lone Star Geyser Trail.
Campfires are not currently allowed in the backcountry.
Park officials say lightning activity has been heavy throughout the park this past week and fire danger is very high.
No further information was immediately available. We will update this story as we get more details.
